If you needed confirmation from NBA 2K19 to believe that the Toronto Raptors have acquired a truly elite player, you got it.
The video game’s website gave fans a look at Kawhi Leonard in a Raptors uniform on Wednesday while also confirming a rating of 94 for the former Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
for @kawhileonard. Who won the trade? #NBA2K19 pic.twitter.com/uEKjkGKpCi
— NBA 2K19 (@NBA2K) July 19, 2018
Based on where everyone stood last year, that would place Leonard in a tie for the fifth highest overall rating with Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo, just a couple of rating points behind Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and James Harden, and four behind LeBron James. Their ratings for the 2018-19 season have yet to be revealed.
It would leave Vince Carter as the highest-ever rated Raptor, as he has a 95 rating with the All-Time Toronto Raptors 2K team. Chris Bosh has a rating of 92 on that team, while Kyle Lowry is an 88.
Now a member of the San Antonio Spurs, former Raptors all-star DeMar DeRozan received no boost from having arguably his best season ever, collecting an 89 overall rating (the same as last year and the same as his rating on the all-time Raptors team). That would put him a three-way tie with Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler for second among shooting guards behind Harden based on their ratings a year ago.
DeRozan averaged a career-high in assists a season ago with 5.2 per game, but saw his scoring dip from 27.3 points per game in the 2016-17 season to 23 per last season.
New team, same rating @DeMar_DeRozan. You already know who's coming next #NBA2K19 pic.twitter.com/OsKrCEKdzL
— NBA 2K19 (@NBA2K) July 18, 2018
Leonard and DeRozan’s new jerseys are going to take some getting used to, even in 2K form.
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